EXODUS 5 THE CHALLENGE OF THE WORK There is something fundamental that everyone who serves the Lord must remember. That is, the work of God is truly - His work and His alone. He has the plans, knows the progress and the desired end. He gives us the privilege of working for Him in His work. It is His work, not ours. Moses and Aaron had heard the Lord speak to them and had spoken themselves to the elders of Israel as to what that work was. The work of God is a delivering work. The objective was clear to them all. The expectations of Moses and Aaron was not that Pharaoh would let them go, because God had told them he would not. It probably shook those men of faith quite a bit when they heard Pharaoh say, "Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice..." They had heard the Lord's voice and had acted in the fear of the Lord as men of faith do. Not everyone we reach out to is going to respond the way we expect. Unbelief may show itself in arrogance or ignorance; in bravado or skepticism; in smooth words or words of challenge. We will be surprised at how many ways people use to excuse themselves from their responsibility to God.
Underlying this careless response to God was the main reason for Pharaoh's denial of the request for freedom for Israel. He had free labor working for him and his worldly ambitions for cities and monuments. That work depended on the great pool of free labor provided for by God's people. It is not unusual for people to reject the Gospel because there are consequences that people know will come when they put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Savior. There is no question about it - life changes when one obeys God. The servant of God must trust God to do what He wants with the message he gives. He must honor God himself and exemplify his respect for God in every way possible. He must remember God, and the fact that God is in control of the events in which he is found. Then he must wait for God to do what He is going to do - in His own time and way.
The work of God is a dangerous work. There will be many perils awaiting one who goes forward in faith to accomplish divine purposes. Paul the apostle wrote of many places where perils came upon him. They came on land and sea. They came from nature and devils. They came from believers and false brethren. Satan will never give ground without a fight. Egypt as a type of the world reminds us that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers; against spiritual wickedness in high places." For our encouragement we need to remember that God uses present events often for future reasons.
The work of God is at times a disappointing work. We had hopes of pressing right ahead and seeing favorable results right away, but that does not happen very often. The harshness of the reply and the increased labor because of Moses' request seemed to bring very negative results. That labor of the slaves increased. The slave drivers were caught in the middle. They first complained to Pharaoh and then turned on Moses and Aaron. There will be times in our service for God when things seem impossible and we seek for someone or something to blame. When that happens, we need to turn to God and seek to learn from Him what He is doing and why in this present situation.
The work of God is a directed work and that direction comes from God. It is It is appropriate to come to God in earnest entreaty. When Moses got alone with God in the bitterness of his soul, he wisely kept that hidden from others who had never significant dealings with God themselves. Many people will not understand why a servant does what he or she does. It really is useless to try to explain things that motivate us in the work of the Lord if people already have their minds made up as to how things should be done. God has His own agenda and when He fits us into it, others won't see things and needs in the same way we do. Most people live life in a measurable way: so many hours for sleep, so many for eating, so many for working and so many for leisure. A lot of people measure the value of life by the money they accumulate. In the service of the Lord when delivering people from Satan's bondage and the world's power, we have to look at our work apart from what it is going to cost and the margin of profit we seek. One soul rescued from hell is worth more than the whole material world. When we have done what God has directed us to do, then we can leave the results in the hands of "the only wise God."
Quite often it is hard to easily understand What God has designed and what He has planned As the outcome of a work we have been called to do But generally, we will know when the task is through.
There will be a lineup of opposition like a maze - And confusion will reign unless we remember what God says. "Arise and go" does not take a great deal of intellect, To know God expects us to get up and go - get on with it.
The favor of men and what they think of a task Isn't what makes it right or not, so when we are asked, It is wise to give as precise an answer as you possibly can - So, people will know you are not acting under the dictates of man.
God does not ask us to do things of which we are not able. Some served Him in teaching, and others waited on tables. Each knew they were doing what God intended at that time - A simple work for God makes His favor on us shine.
When we don't understand ourselves, what seems to go wrong - It is a good thing to trust God's will to carry us along To the goal He established and will reach in His own way - As He allows us to participate and He guides us each day.
"I thank Thee, Father, for giving us the privilege of doing some little things for Thee. There have been occasions when souls have been saved and saints built up in their faith. I know these are great things that You do as a result of using Thy servant. In Thy will, please use my clay lips tonight as I preach the Gospel and guide us by Thine eye as we travel to fulfill this call Thou hast given us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."